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They may not have achieved the pop culture notoriety of South Central Los Angeles or New York City’s Harlem community, but the streets of the ATL aren’t a joke.

Just ask Alonzo Mathis, stage name Gorilla Zoe. He grew up on those streets, and today he considers himself a blessed man for making it out alive.

“It’s pretty much the same as any other hood, just different slang,” Mathis told The Daily Times this week. “I grew up in the hood and went through everything a young adult goes through. I’m glad I made it out, because a lot of people don’t make it to my age, know what I’m saying? I’m blessed to make it this long.”

At 30 years old, Mathis is a second-tier player in the Atlanta hip-hop scene, having catapulted to stardom when he was tapped to join the Southern gangsta rap group Boyz N Da Hood after member Young Jeezy left to pursue a solo career. That was in 2006; before then, Mathis had spent time in Atlanta as a member of the civic service organization Job Corps during the day and a petty criminal by night.

“The name ‘Gorilla’ just came from a side of me that came out of being in the streets,” he said. “I try to keep it cool and not show it anymore, unless I got to. I don’t got to prove nothing — it’s in my face, and m----------- can see the streets in my eyes.”

A desire to get out of the street lifestyle led him to music; with some friends, he opened a music store and later, a studio. There, he began experimenting with making his own music, a move that brought him to the attention of the city’s hip-hop movers and shakers.

With Boyz N Da Hood — signed to P. Diddy’s Bad Boy Entertainment label — he was part of the lineup that released the 2007 studio album “Back Up n Da Chevy.” That same year, he put out his first solo album, “Welcome to the Zoo,” also on Bad Boy. It peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart, No. 8 on the Billboard R&B albums chart and No. 2 on the rap albums chart, thanks in part to the minor hit “Hood Figga.”

Anticipation was even higher for his second studio album, “Don’t Feed Da Animals,” released earlier this year. That record peaked at No. 8 on the Hot 200, No. 2 on the R&B chart and No. 1 on the rap chart. The single “Lost” is the highest-charting track off the album, and while “Animals” has yet to sell as well as “Zoo,” Mathis is already writing for his third studio record, which he said will be called “King Kong.”

“My music’s getting better and better — it’s just crazy right now,” he said. “It’s gonna be a bigger sound, a new sound. I’m not a trend follower. I don’t start working on it until October, but I’m doing a lot of writing and making a lot of mix tapes.”

The album will undoubtedly feature some collaborations with other artists, but right now there’s no short list of potential guests, he said.

“It’s not about big names for me right now,” he said. “I know how to write hits, and I’m just excited to hear some new music.”

“King Kong,” he said, will probably be released around the same time as the next Boyz N Da Hood record, tentatively titled “Back n Da Hood.” It’s difficult for the group to push forward as long as one member (Big Gee) remains in jail, but upon his release, the outfit will roll once again, he added.

Tonight (Friday, Aug. 7), Gorilla Zoe will perform at Club Catalyst in Knoxville’s Old City. He makes it up to East Tennessee regularly, he said, and enjoys the area because of the fans.

“The state of hip-hop is great, man,” he said. “Just like everything, it evolves and changes, but it’s still rocking. I just got to remember who I am and stay in contact with my people. I got to keep my family close and keep God first, and everything else is good.”